Calling Dr Cullen: Nearly Silver and Gold
by Sketchybadwriter
Summary: Carlisle has a trying day at work and reflects on his children and his marriage.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight nor the characters of Carlisle Cullen nor Charlie Swan.**

**Calling Dr. Cullen: Nearly Silver and Gold**

A fake yawn for show. An emphasized stretch for character. Feigning exhaustion and weariness were all to close to Carlisle as over the past 300 years he'd done so for the sake of appearing human. He heard the oncoming footsteps that he knew were headed for his office and again he stretched and yawn, his arms high in the air. Markus, the night nurse came in and set some papers on Carlisle's desk.

"Working late again, eh?" Mark asked with a smile, the circles beneath his eyes very apparent. Carlisle merely nodded and looked down at the paper, frowning instantly.

"I know." Was all Markus said before exiting. Carlisle had seen many things in his time on the earth but rape was one of those things that he couldn't get used to.

That morning a young boy, about 13 was dumped just a mile away from the clinic, he had severe head trauma and had been raped and tortured. After putting up a fight for a few hours Carlisle had pronounced his dead, and still, no one had claimed him. 13 years old and no one knew that he was missing? It was cases like this that reminded him why he became a doctor, and made him wonder why he didn't make exceptions and kill the people who do these things. Rain on the windowpane behind him, and then his eyes focus in on the photograph on his desk, and for a moment, that seemed to linger on, he felt like a regular human being. A human being who was a husband and a father who was working at 3 am on a Saturday and was ready to go home and see his family. Though already halfway down the hallway he could hear Markus groaning and hear his back crack as he stretched. Carlisle leaned back in his chair and looked down at the file; he still had to fill out of the cause of death and various other reports. People don't understand just how much paperwork goes into a single case. But his mind returned to his family once more. He often entertained the idea that he and Esme could adopt a human child and raise it as their own, and then when that child became old enough, they would give him or her, the choice, they could stay human or become a vampire. Although he knew that it would be difficult for his other children, with the blood lust and all and the idea that made him warm sank away pulling heavily at his heart. He loved his family desperately, but had always wanted his own child, something between him and Esme, and official link if you will; regardless to how that might sound. But he did love his children, all of them and he knew that he was a real father. He raised them, he saved them, and he taught them! Is that not what a real father does? Love, teach and protect his children? Did he not excel at these things? Was he not a loving and faithful husband? A compassionate and skilled doctor? Was he not these things? Then why, from time to time, did it not feel like enough?

Before Carlisle had realized it, he'd finished the file on the boy and sent it down to the coroner. The fact that probably no one would claim him-. Stopped in his tracks.

There stood at the end of the corridor what could only be but the parents of child that has been found; found to be killed. Carlisle didn't fake the large sigh he gave as he turned around and hung his coat up in his office and put his briefcase down and waited a moment. Despite the fact that vampires don't need sleep physically, it didn't take away from the reality that he was often mentally exhausted. Popping his head out of his office Carlisle caught the familiar worn brown jacket of Officer Charlie Swan looking incredibly disturbed. Their eyes caught and Carlisle felt himself reluctantly leave his office. He didn't know what the hell was wrong with him- normally he was so professional and he was really proud of that fact in him; but maybe it was also the nature of the crime. Torturing a child, the wounds looked weeks old, beating him, raping him repeatedly. The anger was rising in his blood now you know.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Cullen." He said. A 5'9 women with fading brown hair and olive skin barely even looked at him through red eyes, eyed that had mourned every moment of her child's absence. Her husband was about 5'3 and as pale as Carlisle, and looked equally as distraught.

"Carlisle, these are Edward's parents." Charlie told also looking sullen; the whole incident had the town on edge.

"He turning 12 next week." The father wheezed. Carlisle swallowed hard feeling a lump in his throat. He explained to them what happened to their son and why he was dead, Charlie looked murderous with each word. The Bach's stood very silent.

"Dr. Cullen, do you have a son?" Mr. Bach asked through watery eyes

"3," Carlisle responded silently

"And what would you do?" Mrs. Bach asked, as they stood outside the room, where they still hadn't moved the body

"I don't know."

"We've been looking for weeks, everyone has, we live a few towns over, and then they find him here…does that mean that his killer is here?" Mrs. Bach asked

"No," Charlie responded quietly "it means he mostly like brought him here so someone would find him."

_What would you do?_

The words echoed in Carlisle's heart. He'd never have to deal with this situation because his Edward was stronger and faster and actually hunted the filth that did these things. Carlisle paused again.

"I'm going to open this door," he said quietly as they waited outside the room, "and when I do, you'll see your son. And not how you remember him, but that's ok…because you're here to say goodbye." Carlisle breathed feeling the tears well. Mr. and Mrs. Bach were holding hands now looking at him. Everything was crucial and imperative. Even the click of the handle turning was deafening for them all. Carlisle opened the door and stepped in followed by the Bach's and then Charlie. There was deafness all about the room; the electricity could be heard buzzing in the walls. Mrs. Bach stood and her eyes filled and then pouring over onto her cheeks her tears spilled. Herm hands claps over her mouth as she and Mr. Bach hurried toward their son and buried their faces in his once warm shoulder and neck. Their silent cries of "Oh Edward." as they wailed unabashedly. At the end of the room Carlisle and Charlie stood silent and in their own thoughts of their children and family. They seemed to both cosmically exchange the same sadness without words, who needed them now?

Their thoughts were interrupted when Dr. Anders quietly said that the coroner had arrived, but that they could wait. Carlisle felt quite low now as the time passed and the morning was due any time now. The corner drove away with a murdered, defiled child, and two parents, hands in hand, broken heart for broken heart, left the hospital. A slight moment of comedy came when Charlie and Carlisle exhaled heavily together and said their goodbyes. Once again, Carlisle grabbed his belongings and headed to his car, aware of everything that was happening. The people inside dying, the mugger in the bushes 2 blocks away…

Carlisle opened the door and after a few steps saw Esme and caught his eye and smiled and he heard the distant sound of his children laughing somewhere in the house. And a warmth came over him.

It really was, more than enough.


End file.
